The present invention relates to a wire connection device for folding umbrellas. Each of the finishing cap and the runner has a recess for receiving a pulley and a pin. The wire is connected between the pulleys and the pins.
A conventional umbrella generally includes a shaft with a runner movably mounted to the shaft. A finishing cap is connected to a top of the shaft and a plurality of ribs are pivotally and radially connected to the finishing cap so that a fabric is connected to the ribs. A plurality of stretchers are pivotally connected between the ribs and the runner. A bottom stop and a top stop are respectively received in the shaft and biased by two respective springs. When the runner is engaged with the bottom stop, the umbrella is at its folded status and when the runner is engaged with the top stop, the ribs extend and the umbrella is expanded. The runner is pushed by a user along the shaft to expand the umbrella from the lower stop to the top stop when expanding the umbrella. It is inconvenience for the users to expand the umbrella when the other hand carrying a bag or the like. An automatic umbrella is then developed and includes a control button which is pushed to let the runner run toward the finishing cap to expand the umbrella. Nevertheless, this type of automatic mechanism is not used for an umbrella having a shaft composed of more than two retractable tubes. In order to improve the shortcoming of the conventional umbrella, applicant invented a folding device for umbrella which is disclosed in U.S. patent application with application Ser. No. 09/610,529, filed Jul. 7, 2000. The folding device effectively increases the feature of the umbrella when folding or expanding the umbrella. However, the wire connection device of the umbrella is to be improved and simplified.
The present invention intends to provide a wire connection device for a folding umbrella wherein each of the runner and the finishing cap has a recess to received a pulley and a pin to connect the wires.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foldable umbrella comprising a finishing cap with a plurality of first ribs pivotally connected thereto and a first recess is defined in an outer periphery of the finishing cap. A first pulley and a first pin are received in the first recess in the finishing cap. A shaft is connected to the finishing cap and includes a plurality of tubes which are retractably connected with each other. A control device is connected to the shaft and a runner is movably mounted to the shaft. A plurality of stretchers are pivotally connected between the runner and the first ribs. A fabric is mounted to the first ribs and a spring is received in the shaft. The runner has a protrusion extending radially therefrom and a second recess is defined in the protrusion. A second pulley and a second pin are received in the second recess.
The control device comprises a base member and a central passage is defined through the base member in which an end member is movably received. The base member has a slot communicating with the central passage and a button is movably engaged with the slot. A compressing member is biased in the base member and compresses the end member. A wire has a first end thereof fixedly engaged with the finishing cap and a second end of the wire reeves through the second pin, the first pin, the second pulley, the first pulley and is connected to the end member.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a foldable umbrella wherein the pulleys and pins are respectively received in recesses in the finishing cap and the runner so that the wire will not tangled whenever expanding or folding the umbrella.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.